Children and Optimism

by Victor Perton

In a world where challenges seem to be never-ending, optimism is necessary for a better life. 

In an audience, The Dalai Lama emphasised to us the importance of instilling optimism in children, stating that it is essential to help them remain hopeful and optimistic despite the challenges. 

Optimism is an essential psychological ingredient that we can cultivate in our children, as Professor Lea Waters, the Gerry Higgins Chair in Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne, states. It is the secret weapon of strength-based parenting.

According to educational psychologist Michele Borba, optimistic children are more likely to view challenges and obstacles as temporary and surmountable, increasing their likelihood of success. Conversely, pessimistic children are more likely to view challenges as permanent, like cement blocks that are impossible to move and are more likely to give up. Teaching children optimism begins with us, as we become their inner voices, says Borba.

Jennifer Vigne, a school district superintendent, argues that equipping children with lifelong neurological tools like optimism, which can be practised and improved over time, can make them happier and perform better in school. In addition, it helps them overcome obstacles by seeing challenges as learning opportunities, developing resilience, and ultimately enabling them to choose a more positive outlook. 

Professor Maurice Elias, a psychology professor at Rutgers University, encourages teachers to build what he calls "optimistic future-mindedness" in their students, which boosts optimism and enables students to see a path to a bright future. Helping kids find a purpose, anything, is crucial, says Katie Hurley, as it makes them optimistic and gives them the strength to overcome difficulties.

According to Camilla Schippa, the CEO of The Social Outfit, being optimistic is essential to move forward in life, and it is the essence of life. She told me that we owe it to ourselves and our children to be optimistic and that optimism is vital for our society's most significant potential. Likewise, Ashleigh Henrichs, from Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Racine and Kenosha Counties, believes that children's energy, optimism, and hope should inspire us all.

Paul King, the President and CEO of Stanford Children's Health, enjoys that pediatric medicine is about optimism and the future. Robin Cogan, a school nurse, states that her optimism is informed by a relentless pursuit of caring for children and families with complex health and social needs, investing in their health, safety, and well-being.

Catherine Misson states that optimism is the source of society's most significant potential, enthusing our youth with an empowered view of the horizon, no matter the challenges in front of them. It is about preserving children's innate capacity and encouraging them to craft a future worth inheriting.

Matthew Guy, the former Leader of the Liberal Party in the Victorian Parliament, told me he is optimistic because he sees Australian kids as being smarter, more confident, and more ingenious than any generation we have seen. As a result, he believes that they can lead Australia differently and better in the future.

In conclusion, to instil optimism in our children, the best way to do that is to model optimism ourselves. 

Optimistic children are more likely to view challenges as temporary and surmountable, increasing their chances of success, while pessimistic children are likelier to give up. Being optimistic helps us move forward, preserves our innate capacity, and enables us to craft a future worth inheriting. 

Therefore, we owe it to our children to be optimistic, as optimism is the essence of life.

Professor Lea Waters, Gerry Higgins Chair in Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne

 “Optimism is the most important psychological ingredient we can cultivate in our children. It is the secret weapon of strength-based parenting.”

Michele Borba, Educational Psychologist

 "Optimistic kids view challenges and obstacles as temporary and able to be overcome, so they are more likely to succeed.

"But there is a dramatically opposing view: pessimism. Children who are pessimistic see challenges as permanent, like cement blocks that are impossible to move, and so they are more likely to quit.

"Teaching children optimism begins with us. Kids adopt our words as their inner voices, so over the next few days, tune in to your typical messages and assess the outlook you offer your kids."

Jennifer Vigne

"I do believe understanding levels of optimism, or lack thereof can be a solid indicator of how students can improve their academic performance, and how we as adults can optimize our own performance….Equipping our children with neurological lifelong tools like optimism, which can be practiced and improved over time, may not only make them happier, but studies show it will help them perform better in school. It will help them better overcome obstacles by viewing challenges as learning opportunities, and it will develop resilience when they’ve persevered through a difficult circumstance. To be clear, I’m not suggesting a Pollyanna view of the world but rather a healthy dose of balanced optimism that can help children and adults choose a more positive outlook.”

Professor Maurice Elias in "How to Boost Students’ Sense of Optimism"

"My team and I encourage teachers to build what we call “optimistic future-mindedness” in their students...

"it’s our hope that boosting students’ optimism will help them see a path to a bright future."

Katie Hurley

“We have to help kids find some purpose, anything. Because when we have purpose, we are optimistic and we feel like we can get through hard things.”

Rita Wirtz

"I believe this is the secret to success. Every child needs a champion, someone who simply cares and creates opportunities to learn and grow. By turning doors into windows, clear views of a bigger world invite and engage students. Let’s all be that person, warm, welcoming and optimistic."

Lisa Rutigliano, Advanced Placement Psychology and Child Development at Valley Stream Central High School.

“Kids are willing to take more chances when they are optimistic.  It opens so many more doors because they see everything as an opportunity.”

Camilla Schippa, CEO at The Social Outfit

"When looking into a child’s eye, how could we not be optimistic? We owe it to them, and to ourselves. Optimism is the essence of life, with it we move forward, without it, we stay still."

Ashleigh Henrichs, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Racine and Kenosha Counties

"Children will surprise you with their energy, optimism and hope. Who wouldn’t want to be surrounded by hope these days?"

Paul King, President and CEO of Stanford Children's Health

"Pediatric medicine at its core is about optimism -  it's about the future."

Robin Cogan

"My optimism is informed by a relentless pursuit of caring for children and families with complex health and social needs. Investing in the health, safety and well-being of community gives me hope that the seeds we plant today will bloom..."

Catherine Misson,

“If you look through the eyes of children you see limitless possibilities that tantalise the curious spirit with which they came into the world. How do we preserve that innate capacity? Optimism: enthusing our youth with an empowered view to the horizon no matter the challenges right in front of them. This is the source of our greatest potential as a society - optimistic citizens who believe they can and will craft a future worth inheriting.”

Matthew Guy, former Leader of the Liberal Party in the Victorian Parliament

 “I’m very optimistic because I see Australian kids are vastly smarter, vastly more confident and vastly more ingenious than any generation we've ever seen. We should be confident about these young people and their ability to lead Australia better and differently in the decades ahead. I don't think my children's generation will be a pale imitation of mine or my parents' generation. I reckon they'll be something completely different. That's exciting!”

Karen Stanford

"Being an optimist I am lucky enough to see hope everywhere. Inspiring people following their dreams, people being kind to each other & as a teacher, the children give me reason to be optimistic every day."

Sandra Lewy, World Commerce and Contracting

"Seeing more children and teenagers caring about the environment makes me feel more optimistic about the future of our planet and the world that my son will grow up in."

Jessica Purbrick, Director, Blue Tuna Consulting

“What am I optimistic about? A future for our children that values a kinder, more listening world. And my own role in preparing my teenagers for the opportunities of this future. Life is an impressive journey: it's an important life.”

Lisa Barbarossa

"What makes me optimistic? Science and the eternal human search for knowledge, combined with the beauty and passion of children and young people and the chance to be a part of building an optimistic future with them."

Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel Laureate

“We can learn the lessons of compassion and optimism from children. It is important that we recognise the child inside each one of us. By recognising the child inside of us we can make the world a better place."

Laura Kelly Fanucci in "Jesus was a teenager, too"

'Teens often get a terrible rap, but the roller coaster of adolescence is essential to our growth — and young people bring enormous gifts to the human family. Their enthusiasm, prophetic voices and optimism are sources of deep hope and renewal."

Lori Moldovan IMH, Mental Health Counselor "In The failure in pressuring kids to succeed"

"success is correlated with psychological capacities including: optimism, curiosity, a sense of oneself as capable (different from self-esteem, which is about self-worth), and the ability to manage negative emotions and weather obstacles These capacities develop in the context of secure attachments with parents, which occurs when we give kids space by being present, responsive and interested – rather than reactive, controlling or preoccupied." 

Julie Brinley, Burbank, California, USA - MBA Candidate at UCLA Anderson

"25 years ago, Dolly Parton created the Imagination Library in her hometown in Tennessee to help foster a love of reading in young children by increasing their access to books. "Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth until they begin school, no matter their family’s income." Since its inception, it has expanded across the US and internationally and gifted over 140 million books to young children around the world. I would not be who I am today without the love of reading I developed as a child, so I am inspired by Dolly's gift of books to so many children and optimistic about the positive impact she is having on so many young lives."

Kelly-Ann Allen PhD MAPS FCEDP

 "What makes me optimistic? One word 'People': Friends, family, neighbours, colleagues, students, my community, my children. People provide support when needed, build a sense of belonging and collectively contribute to a rich, exciting and meaningful life."

Axel Scheffler, Illustrator of "The Gruffalo"

"To work for children, you must have optimism."

Sue Atkins, The Parenting Expert

"What makes me optimistic? The enthusiasm of children who naturally embrace life, the passion of people trying to make a difference & the kindness of strangers."

Janie Jordan

"What makes me optimistic is the resilience I observe in toddlers. Their thirst for knowledge, testing and exploring is a joy to observe. They fall down, dust themselves off and go again. I’ve been looking after my two-and-a-half-year-old grandson for the past three weeks and being with him is a salutary reminder that what we learn under seven is a critical determinant of how we are in our adult lives."

Governor Mike Dunleavy proclaimed an "Education and Sharing Day 2023."

"By instilling a spirit of service in our children, we create a more optimistic future for them and for Alaska."

Pranjali Karve, Cyber Defence Analyst

"My children make me optimistic. Children are naturally so positive and optimistic all the time that one cannot help but be optimistic."